On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love (or Southern Living!) gave to me, a holiday made merry. Need a sign that Christmas is here? Add our simple framed wall sign with cheerful calligraphy to your mantle to spread the holiday spirit throughout your home.

I spread holiday cheer by baking cookies and other treats for my friends and family using family recipes, handed down from my Italian grandmother.

November 8, 2015 at 6:34 am

Tana McCraw

Baking! My three sisters and I each bake 10 dozen of cookies of different varieties, sort them into giveaway containers, and enjoy the gift of giving! It’s awesome🙂

November 7, 2015 at 10:57 pm

Elizabeth F.

I spread holiday cheer every year at my church by being a adult chaperone on our Angels and Elves Christmas shopping trip. Our church youth director contacts our four area elementary schools and gets the names of three families that need special help with gifts for their families at Christmas. The youth at the church will tell you that this event is looked forward to all year long! They do fund raisers throughout the year to raise money for the special day.

The first Saturday in December we load up all the church vans and additional cars to take the younger school age kids from each family with us to help pick out gifts for their family. Some of the parents like myself take a child off to the other side of the store so they won’t see the gifts chosen for them. On last years shopping trip I was put in charge of 9 year old girl so I took her over to the candy aisle and let her pick out candy for her entire family. You would have thought I had taken her to Disney World by her reaction once she started picking out things!! She would jump up and down when she picked up something she’d “Always Wanted”!! She picked up some special Christmas candy that she told me reminded her of her grandma that she’s not allowed to see anymore😦 This sweet girl had lost her daddy three months before in a bad car accident so the only family she had left was her mom and one little brother😦 Her name Angel fits her so well because she was so very appreciative of everything we did for her that day!

I’m so glad my own kids participated in these shopping trips growing up so they could be reminded of the true meaning of Christmas every year! Each time I walk down that candy aisle I will forever be reminded of Angel and all the many kids in our town who have so much less than others.

November 7, 2015 at 10:21 pm

sccoed

buying gifts for people who put their need son the local Angel tree!!

November 7, 2015 at 10:06 pm

Becky J

Each Christmas our Life Group cooperates on a holiday project. My favorite was the year we adopted two families that were transitioning from a local domestic violence shelter into their own apartments. These families were setting up housekeeping from scratch and it was fun for us to provide much needed everyday household items mixed in with some special extras to help them enjoy comfort and joy in their new homes.

November 7, 2015 at 7:46 pm

mmcl

Share treats with friends.

November 7, 2015 at 7:08 pm

gmcl

Bake and share treats, volunteer at a food pantry.

November 7, 2015 at 7:07 pm

maureen

I make shawls (I knit) and I make eggnog bread and tasty treats

November 7, 2015 at 6:42 pm

darlene napier

Our group at work normally adopt an angel or two from the tree. This year, I think we will also gather donations to the Local Animal Shelter. They can always use a little help.

November 7, 2015 at 6:25 pm

Janet L

I should start by saying that we are a pet centric household. We feel very strongly about adopting pets from local shelters. The past 5 years, my husband and I design and sell a special morale patch for the holidays. We take 100% of the proceeds to buy supplies, (food, blankets, toys etc) and drop off at our local ASPCA so the homeless pets can have a Merry Christmas too!

November 7, 2015 at 6:22 pm

AngelaS

We bake batches of a dozen sweet potato pies,Anyone who comes to the house during the holidays is sent home with a pie. We also deliver them to friends and neighbors who no longer drive or get out much. It is great fun.

November 7, 2015 at 5:45 pm

Vickie

For the community cheer. Volunteering at the soup kitchen. And, the best is withe our church and the angel Tree Network. One year our church went a step further and hosted the entire family of the selected children at the church for a Christmas dinner and gifts. The fun part we decorated the dining hall very festive, cooked all the food and desserts and were the servers too. I was a server. This was ran like fine dining service with courses..not a buffet. I suspect some had not had this type of dining experience and I was a joy for all.
At home, I have my annual open house. Additionally, I have various candies and cookies, all from scratch for our unexpected guests who drop by throughout the season.

November 7, 2015 at 5:38 pm

channynn

We love dropping treats off at the doorsteps of friends!

November 7, 2015 at 4:04 pm

Susan Hatcher

By buying gifts for needy children.

November 7, 2015 at 3:40 pm

Heather Peacock

My family and I spread holiday cheer by preparing the music for our church’s midnight Christmas Eve service. We love singing together and arranging traditional carols to fit our voices and the instruments that we play. Sweet memories for sure!

November 7, 2015 at 3:08 pm

Julie

I work in a hospital which means we are open every day- including Christmas! We try to schedule those who do not have young children work the holidays to allow those with small children as many holidays off as possible! Thus, I often work most holidays on purpose! We will decorate IV poles with tinsel and lights, hand out treats, hang up Christmas cards on the walls and make the best of the situation! I always try to put together the most ridiculous themed holiday outfit I can find (year round, not just Christmas!) to help spread the cheer!

November 7, 2015 at 1:58 pm

karen s

I spread Christmas cheer by mailing out Christmas cards to loved ones near and far. Some folks I see every day, others I may not have seen in years. I like to write a personalized note in each and let them know how much they are thought of.

November 7, 2015 at 1:45 pm

Katie

As a nurse, I have been scheduled to work holidays in past years. I have often been tasked for decorating the unit Christmas tree as well. There are some patients that unfortunately have to be in the hospital and away from their families on those special days. I, along with my fellow nurse friends, have tried to make the best out of the situation. Whether it’s a stocking with a few treats or an outfit for a newborn baby, we’ve managed to deliver cheer year after year to these patients. It’s not about big, fancy gifts, but smiles and good company to lift spirits!

November 7, 2015 at 1:41 pm

Rebecca B

I make tons of Christmas cookies and gift them to friends and family

November 7, 2015 at 1:23 pm

Jason

Growing up, my sister and I would help our dad sell Christmas trees for Kiwanis to raise money for local scholarships. We’d wear Santa hats, drink hot chocolate, and sing along with the overhead speakers. I don’t think anyone needed extra holiday cheer, all the customers were already feeling the spirit of the season as they searched for the magical tree for that year! But, it was a fun way for kids to “help” Kiwanis sell lots of trees. The cheer we showed while selling trees was exponential as the scholarships will help so many people pay for college. As an adult, I still try to buy my trees, wreaths, etc from churches, boyscout troops or other community service organizations who will put the money towards a good cause to help spread holiday cheer year round!

November 7, 2015 at 1:01 pm

Phyllis Sears

Make and deliver stockings to nursing home patients; dress dolls and bears for needy children; mail cards to military and shutins; Christmas is the most wonderful time of year!!!!

November 7, 2015 at 11:52 am

Patricia C

We have a cookie swap with friends and neighbors and even people I’ve never met. Making 14 dozen of the same cookie recipe is so much easier for all of us. We have spend less money and all of us have more time to spend with family and loved ones. My relatives get to enjoy the collective fruit of all of our labor.

November 7, 2015 at 10:42 am

Cindy Moline

For Christmas (and other holidays), we have always tried to include friends who would otherwise be alone. It is always lonely to be alone, but especially on holidays! And it adds to our fun to have friends with us.

November 7, 2015 at 10:22 am

Linda

I try to keep a crock pot of apple cider going for 2 weeks before Christmas. We all enjoy the smell and chance to drink it anytime and I love surprising the inevitable delivery guys with some in a to go hot cup.

November 7, 2015 at 10:04 am

Dawn K.

We have a Southern Living themed party for our friends. Several recipes from SL and the showcase is the cake on the December issue of Southern Living!!

November 7, 2015 at 9:53 am

paffrathmkd

I take my three-year-old granddaughter to the mail box daily to greet our USPS carrier, on walks through the neighborhood, on errands and shopping with me. She loves to talk to everyone and this time of year it is all about the holidays. She is a walking, talking Christmas Season ambassador and delights so many people with her abundant enthusiasm!

November 7, 2015 at 9:51 am

Laura

My family loves watching the movie Elf. From that we have learned the following, “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.”

November 7, 2015 at 9:41 am

rocketcitysaver

Random acts of kindness

November 7, 2015 at 9:32 am

Lisa Christopher Grimes

My mother and I bake over a 1000 cookies to give to friends and neighbors.

November 7, 2015 at 9:09 am

clmdukes

I bake and make lots of goody trays for friends and workers in the neighborhood!